There are tons of diet books on the market but  as we all know most of them don't work or at least don't keep the weight off. I just read a book "Thin for Life: 10 Keys to Success from People Who Have Lost Weight and Kept It Off" by Anne M. Fletcher  that doesn't try to get you to try a particular diet, as a matter of fact it does not reccomend dieting at all.

This is a book about people who have not only lost weight but also kept it off for years. This is the kind of book I trust because it doesn't want to sell you anything or preach that the only way to lose is their way. It just tells you what has worked for those who are successful. There is no one way for everyone to lose weight.

One thing that the book does say is almost universal among all Masters (as the book calls these successful people) is that they got rid of their clothes that were too big. I have gained and lost a tremondous amount of weight over the years and always had several sizes of clothes until this last time. I got rid of ALL my clothes that were too large. As usual I started to gain weight and after gaining back 16 pounds I only had one pair of pants that fit me. Instead of going out and buying more big clothes I decided to start eating right (NOT dieting). I have done this since June 13 and have lost 28 pounds since then without dieting or feeling hungry.

I wish I had, had this book years ago instead of stumbling on some of these ideas by myself. I will never diet again and I am getting ready to start getting rid of too big clothes again. I think if there had been a book like this years ago I might not have struggled so much. The author said when she started to research this book that she wasn't sure she would even find enough people who were "maintainers" to even research how they did it.

I highly reccomend this book for anyone who struggles with their weight at all.

Great post. I just ordered it from your bookshelf.

What a thoughtful post!  Glad you wrote it.

Thanks Debi & Bonnie, it isn't often that a book strikes me like this one did. I almost kept it but decided that would be selfish. I did write down key things that I want to remind myself of from what the "masters" had to say. My goal is to become one of them!!

Debi, you didn't order mine as it is still there. It doesn't matter, getting rid of this book wasn't the point of this post. Besides  there aren't very many in the system and I hope they all go fast just because I wish everyone who has ever struggled like me decides to read this book.

A similar book was written around 15 years ago.  It's called Keeping It Off.  Seems like it was written by 2 people named Colvin.  They researched people who had lost 20% or more of their body weight, and kept it off for a least 5 years.  They interviewed them in depth, for what the people believed had made a difference.

update:  Written 1985.  I added now. a description from Amazon.  It is also available

Thanks Linda, that sounds like a good book also. I think I will look it up since I loved Thin For Life so much. I would love to read more about people who not only lost the weight but kept it off which is what most of us can't seem to do.

Linda, I found the only copy of this book on PBS and ordered it thanks to you. I 'm sure it won't be quite as up to date as the newer Thin For Life since this one was written in 1985 but I decided to give it a try. Just reading about these people has helped me keep on the right track. Thanks again for the suggestion.

Jane, I hope you and I both manage to keep it off. I feel much more confident this time after reading how the successful losers have kept it off. Let me know what you think of the book after you read it. Hope it helps you as much as it did me.

A wonderful post Elaine, 

I want to recommend another book along the same thoughts as your's called THIN TASTES BETTER by Stephen Gullo.  This book helps you understand the process of food addiction and how changes can only be made if you CHOOSE to make them.  Very serious and insightful stuff!  And it works!

Anna, thanks so much for the suggestion about the book. I am going out to look for it now.

I just ordered a copy of Thin for Life, to see if there are ideas there that resonate with me.  Thanks for the tip.

That's great Linda, maybe there will be enough of us who have read the book soon that we can discuss it and see what each of us finds are the best ideas for our own lives. It always helps me to hear someone else's perspective also.